Governor



R E L D A G H GOVERNOR Filed Dec. 15, 1937 Patented Aug. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GOVERNOR gan Application December 15, 1937 Serial No. 179,999

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a fuel flow governing device for incorporation in the carburetor of an internal combustion engine and adapted to be actuated in response to the flow of fuel mixture through the carburetor to govern the speed of the engine. Stated differently, it may be said that the present invention relates to a carburetor for internal combustion engines, in which the ordinary throttle valve is supplanted by a flowresponsive governor valve.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described in which the governor valve, which is employedin place of the usual throttle valve, is controlled by means which are adjustable to provide for varying the predetermined governed speed.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described, in which the aforesaid adjustment may be carried out by remote control, as for example, by means, located .on the instrument board of a vehicle.

Another objectof. the present invention'is the provision of a. device of the character described, in which the carburetor valve isurged toward closedpositionby the usual resilient means, the connection between such resilient means-*and'the carburetor-valve being such that the closing effort of the resilient means may be opposed by the op:- erator without permittingthe operator to directly open the carburetor valve, the latter being thus permitted to. function as av governingvalve and being subjectonly to the influences which automatically cause-it to act as such. Other and further objects, features and. advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingin which:

Figure l is a schematic view illustrating the mode of application o f the present invention to a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through'the valve control mechanism of the present invention; and

Figin'e 3is a vertical transverse section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention. reference is made to the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanyingdrawing and detailed descriptive language is employed. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the invention is thereby intended and that vari ous .changes and alterations are contemplated such as would ordinarily occur to one skilled in the artto which the invention relates.

- Referring to Figure 1, a portion of the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine is designated by the reference character I0, and is adapted to be supplied with fuel mixture by a carburetor indicated generally at H. The latter may be conventional in all respects except as to the valve means for controlling the flow of fuel mixture, now to be described.

In place of the usual manually controlled throttle valve heretofore employed in carburetors, the present invention contemplates the use of a governing valve adapted to be controlled in response to the flow of fuel mixture through the conduit with which it is associated. Such valve may be bi several known types, but in the present embodiment it is preferred to employ a valve of the type known as the unbalanced or offset butterfly valve. Thus, in place of the usual manually controlled balanced butterfly throttle valve, there is provided in the fuel mixture conduit l2 of the carburetor H, an unbalanced butterfly valve l3, secured upon a spindle M, which latter is journalled transversely of the conduit I2 and is provided with a laterally extending portion M. It will be noted that the valve I3 is secured to the spindle M in such a manner that its longer blade l5 extends away from the intake manifold l0 and thus extends upstream with regard to the flow of fuel mixture which is intended to be downward in 'all views. As is well understood, by this construction the valve is adapted to be urged in closing direction by the flow of fuel mixture through the conduit.

f This closing effort upon the valve I3 is opposed by a spring IE associated with the extension I4 of the valve spindle I4 by means of a cam I1 and flexible tape l8. The cam I1 is secured upon the extension 14' of'the valve spindle, and one end of the. flexible tape I8 is secured to the cam H as 'atl9. -The other endof the flexible tape I8 is secured to the adjacent end'of the spring It in any suitable' manner. .'The spring l6 and its associated mechanism are arranged in the casing ll associated with the carburetor H. The tape [8 passes over the surface of the cam ll so that the force of the spring i6 is applied through varying radii-to resist the closing effort on the valve [3. The shape -.of the cam I1 is carefully determined for the particular characteristics of the engine with which the present device is to be used.

The end of the spring l6 opposite to that attached" to the-tape i8 is anchored by adjusting mechanism comprisingan adjusting'screw. 20 the inner endof which is provided with a head 2| which is threaded to receive one or more convolutions of the spring 16. The screw 20 is threaded into a nut 22 rotatably mountedin a restricted portion of the casing II, and means are provided for rotating the nut 22 to effect longitudinal movement of the screw 20, whereby the tension of the spring l6 may be varied to effect the proper initial adjustment thereof. Means are also provided whereby the screw 20 may be rotated so that, as it advances to the right, its head 2| advances into the convoluticns of the spring 16, thus varying both the tension and the flexibility of the latter.

The pitch of the threads of the screw 20 and nut 22 is greater than the pitch of the thread on the head 2|, whereby when the adjusting screw 20 is advanced to the right, by suitable rotation, the head 21 moves into the coils of the spring 16 at a slower rate than it advances to the right, so that the tension of the spring I6 is reduced as its rate is increased.

For every speed of the engine for which-it is desired to have governing, there is a definite tension. and flexibility of the spring which must be effected. The adjustment just described provides for such change in the rate and tension oi the spring, for the whole is designed with a predetermined pitch to the threads on the nut 22 and on the screw 20 to assure the proper rate and tension for each of the speeds for which the governor is adaptable. However, during the assembly of the governor and sometimes in later adjustments, it is essential that the initial tension be properly set so that thereafter the tension and rate vary in the predetermined manner.

This is simply efiected by rotation of the nut 22 which allows the screw 20 to be moved longitudinally without rotation, thus changing only the tension of the spring. The periphery of the nut, intermediate its ends, is provided with a suitable thread for cooperation with the threads of a screw 39. Rotation of this screw, by a suitable tool, imparts slow rotation to the nut 22, and thus permits minute adjustments of the tension of the spring i6.

'ihe means for rotating the screw 20 are described in detail in my copending application, Se-

rial No. 131,448, new Patent No. 2,170,744, granted Aug. 22, 1939, of which the present application is a continuation-in-part, and need not be further described herein. As disclosed in said previous application, the adjustment of the spring 16 may be carried out from a remote point, such as the operators compartmenhthe adjustments of the screw 20 being eiiected through the medium of a flexible member 23 which may be extended to a suitable terminal 24 located upon the instrument board of the vehicle, and if desired the terminal 24 may take the form of a key-operated locking device, whereby unauthorized adjustment of the governed speed is prevented. Connection between the flexible member 23 and the adjusting screw 23 is effected by providing the adjacent end of the member 23 with a non-circular portion 4| for sliding engagement with a mating recess 42 formed in the screw 20. As fully explained in my said copending application, the provision of means for varying both the tension and the flexibility of the spring l6 enables accurate control ofthe governing valve at a plurality of predetermined speeds, thus permitting authorized persons to adjust, at will, the governing means for any desired speed within a reasonablerange, without destroying the accuracy of governing.

As also fully explained in said previous application, the spring I6, through the cam I1 and tape [8, is adapted to substantially balance the closing effort exerted by the flow of the fuel mixture upon the valve l3, at the predetermined speed and at all positions of the valve, thus ensuring accurate governing of the engine speed.

In employing a governor valve of the nature described, in place of the ordinary carburetor valve, means must be provided whereby the governing valve may be closed at the will of the operator, just as the ordinary throttle valve may beclosed at the will of the operator. This result is achieved, in the present construction, by the arrangement now to be described.

The toeboard 25 of the operators compartment is provided with the usual accelerator pedal 26 which is connected with a lever 21 by means of a link 28. The lever 21 is pivoted as at 29 to any suitable portion of the vehicle, and its 1 outer end is connected to a relatively strong helical spring 30, the other end of which is secured to the toeboard 25 as by means of a hook 3|. The lever 21 is also connected by a link 32 with a lever 33 secured upon a short shaft 34 journalled in the cover 40 of the casing H. To the opposite end of the shait 34 there is secured an arm 35 having a horizontal portion 36. The latter is adapted to engage an arm 31 secured adjacent the outer end of the extension 14 of the valve spindle l4.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the operation or" the instant device will be readily appreciated. When the accelerator pedal 26 is depressed and the spring 30 the link 28, lever 21, link 32 and arm 33 will be moved toward the right (Fig. 1), rotating the shaft 34 and arm 35 counterclockwise. Thus, the horizontal portion 36 of the arm 35 is removed from engagement with the arm 31 secured upon the valve spindle, and the latter is permitted to rotate counterclockwise, under the influence of the spring 16, to an extent corresponding to the movement of the accelerator pedal. The governorvalve is thus opened and' fuel mixture is permitted to flow into the intake manifold, the quantity of mixture being limited in accordance with the position of the valve. As the engine speed increases, the valve is urged toward closed position by reason of the flow of fuel mixture through the conduit, and if the predetermined maximum speed is reached the turning effort on the valve will likewise be increased so as to overcome the resistance of the spring 16, whereupon the valve will close to such an extent as to prevent further acceleration of the engine. If now, the operator desires to slow the engine below the governed speed, the force exerted on the accelerator pedal is reduced, whereupon the spring 30 will draw the lever 21, link 32 and arm 33 to the left, causing a clockwise rotation of the shaft 34, and arm 35. The horizontal portion 36 of the latter will thus be brought into engagement with the arm 31, causing a clockwise rotation of the valve spindle I4, and partially or entirely closing the valve, as the case may be. It will be appreciated that the spring 30 is necessarily strong enough to overcome the spring 6 at all times except when the spring 30 is opposed by force exerted upon the accelerator pedal.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the operator of the vehicle may at any time permit thus extended, a5

the spring 30 to close the valve, but cannot digines, having a fuel mixture conduit, a, spindle journalled transversely of said conduit, an unbalanced valve mounted on said spindle, said valve being adapted to be urged toward closed position by the passage of fuel mixture through 'said conduit, resilient means acting on saidspindie and adapted to urge said valve toward open position, anarm secured on said spindle at a point outside of said conduit, resilient means for urging said arm in valve closing direction, and manually operable means for controlling the action of said second resilient means on said arm.

2. In a governor for internal combustion engines, having a fuel mixture conduit, in combination, an unbalanced valve in said conduit adapted to be urged toward closed position by the passage of fuel mixture through said conduit, resilient -means urging said valve toward open position, said resilient means being adapted to substantially balance the closing eiIort exerted on said valve by the flow of mixture through said conduit at a predetermined engine speed at all positions of said valve. means for adjustingsaid resilient .lgeaiis to vary said predetermined en gine speed, resilient means fof'urging said valve toward closed position, said second resilient means being of sufficient strength to overcome the effort exerted on said valve .by said first resilient means in all positions of said valve, and manually operable means-for opposing the effort of said second resilient means.

3. In a governor for internal combustion engines, having a fuel mixture conduit, in combination, an unbalanced valve in said conduit adapted to 'be urged toward closed position by the passage of fuel mixture through said conduit, resilient means urging said valve toward open position, said resilient means being adapted to substantially balance the closing eifort exerted on said valve by the flow of mixture through said conduit ata predetermined engine speed at all positions of said valve, remote control means for adjusting said resilient means to. vary said predetermined engine speed, resilient means for urging said valve toward-closed position, said second resilient means being of sumclent strength to overcome the effort exerted on said valve by said first resilient means in all positions of said valve, and manually operable means for opposing the eflort of said second resilient means.

4. In a governor for internal combustion engines, having a fuel mixture conduit, in combination, an unbalanced valve in said conduit adapted to be urged toward closed position by the passage of fuel mixture through said conduit, resilient means urging said valve toward open position, said resilient means being adapted to substantially balance the closing effort exerted on said valve by the-flow of mixture through said conduit at a predetermined engine speed at all positions of said valve, means for adjusting said resilient means to vary said predetermined engine speed, resilient means for urging said valve toward closed position, said second resilient means being of suificient strength to overcome the effort exerted on said valve by said first resilient means in all positions of said valve, and manually operable means for preventing said second resilient means from acting on said valve.

5. In a governor for internal combustion engines, having a fuel mixture conduit, in combination, an unbalanced valve in said conduit adapted to be urged toward closed position by the passage of fuel mixture through said conduit, resilient means urging said valve toward open position, said resilient means being adapted to substantially balance the closing effort exerted on said valve by the flow of mixture through said conduit at a predetermined engine speed at all positions of said valve, resilient means for urging said valve toward closed position, said second resilient means being of sufllcient strength to overcome the effort exerted on said'valve by said first resilient means in all positions of said valve, and manually operable means for opposing the effort of said second resilient means.

6. In a governor for internal combustion engines, having a fuel mixture conduit, in combination, an unbalanced valve in said conduit adapted to be urged to closed position in response to the passage of fuel mixture through said conduit, means urging said valve toward open position, said means being adapted to substantially balance the closing effort on said valve at a predetermined engine speed at all positions of said valve, and being adjustable to vary said predetermined engine speed, means for adjusting said valve opening means, resilient means for urging said valve toward closed position, and manually operable means for opposing the action of said resilient means.

7. In a governor for internal combustion engines, having a fuel mixture conduit, in combination, an unbalanced valve in said conduit adapted to be urged to closed position in response to the passage of fuel mixture through said conduit, means urging said valve toward open position, said means being adapted to substantially balance the closing effort on said valve at a predetermined engine speed at all positions of said valve, and being adjustable to vary said predetermined engine speed, remote control means for adjusting said valve opening means, resilient means for urging said valve toward closed position, and manually operable means for opposing the action of said resilient means.

HERMAN G. ADLER.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to DI SCLA er Detroit, Mic

claims tom Gazette July 24, 1945.

ed June 20, 1

IMER h. GOVERNOR. Patent dined Aug. 27, 945, by the assignee, King-Seeley Gor- 1, 2; 4, 5, and 6 in said specification. 

